Imagine Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes Both in the AFC West

Former Cal star Aaron Rodgers has made the Broncos one of his preferred landing spots, and Patrick Mahomes said this week it would be "awesome" to face Rodgers twice a year.

A fan's mind starts spinning at the thought of Patrick Mahomes and former Cal star Aaron Rodgers going head to head twice a season, perhaps even three times. And Patrick Mahomes this week called that possibility "awesome" and "a great opportunity."

Well, if Rodgers had his way, he could wind up with the Denver Broncos, who are the subject of every speculative story about where Rodgers might be headed if he is traded. And the Broncos are in the AFC West, just like Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs, giving us two games a year pitting the 2018 MVP against the 2020 MVP.

Mahomes was asked to comment on that possibility during his "15 and the Mahomies Aloha Golf Classic," and he told Bleacher Report's Kayla Nicole it would be fun to go against Rodgers twice a year.

"Obviously, it'd be awesome," Mahomes said in the twitter video below. "To have that challenge ... two times a year, every single year would be a great, great opportunity. I mean, he's a heck of a football player. He's been doing it for a long time that I've watched play and learned a lot from. But definitely, if he came to the AFC West, it would just make it a little tougher for us, but we're up to the challenge."

The Packers have said time and time again they are not trading Rodgers, who has made it clear he does not want to play for the Packers in 2021. Rodgers does not have a no-trade clause in his contract so he cannot dictate where he would go if traded.  However, he has said that he would prefer to go to the Raiders, 49ers or Broncos.

The 49ers don't need a quarterback after drafting Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick, which leaves the Raiders and Broncos, both of whom are in the AFC West.

The Raiders still seem to have confidence in Derek Carr as their quarterback, but the Broncos appear to be lukewarm on the possibility of Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater being their quarterback, which is why Denver is the trade destination most often mentioned in Rodgers trade rumors.

If the Packers were to trade Rodgers, they would prefer to send him to the AFC, limiting the possibility of having to face him. 

The Packers don't face either the Raiders or the Broncos in 2021.  Interestingly, though, the Packers do play the Chiefs on Nov. 7 this season, so if Rodgers does play for Green Bay this season, we would have a regular-season Rodgers-vs.-Mahomes showdown.

Of course, if Rodgers were traded to the Raiders or Broncos, it would make it more difficult for the Chiefs to go 20-0, which is Mahomes' stated goal for 2021.

If Rodgers is playing for the Broncos, it would mean Mahomes' Chiefs would have to beat Rodgers' Broncos twice in the regular season and perhaps a third time in the playoffs to get to that 20-0 goal.

Rodgers and Mahomes have never faced each other on the field.  The Packers played the Chiefs in 2019, but Mahomes was injured and did not play in that game.

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Cover photo of Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers is by Jay Biggerstaff, USA TODAY Sports

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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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